Description

Guest host Jane Kaczmarek presents three stories about strange encounters from a weekend of programs at The Getty Center is Los Angeles. Two of the works are by American masters, and one by a relative newcomer.

Diane Cook’s critically acclaimed debut collection Man v. Nature includes disturbing encounters of all kinds, and it’s not surprising that they are equally powerful read aloud—Cook is a former producer for “This American Life.” Cook’s work has also appeared in Harper’s, Tin House, Granta, and in the anthology Best American Short Stories 2016. In “Flotsam,” a woman with an untidy love life finds that her laundry is full of surprises. It’s performed by Melora Hardin, known for her roles on the television programs "The Office," “Monk,” and “Transparent.” She’s currently in the Freeform series “The Bold Type.” On film she’s appeared in “17 Again,” “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” “27 Dresses” and “You,” which she directed.

Our next story is by Shirley Jackson. The author of the classic chiller "The Lottery," knows just how to turn the ordinary into the dark and extraordinary, and "Paranoia" is a great example. The minute self-satisfied businessman Halloran Beresford leaves his office, things start to go very wrong. Reader Thomas Gibson's successful television career has included featured roles on "Chicago Hope," "Dharma & Greg," and "Criminal Minds."

In the final tale on this program, by Carson McCullers, a young newsie meets a philosophical drifter who has experienced a great loss. "A Tree, A Rock, A Cloud," is performed by Lance Reddick. Reddick has had featured roles on shows that push the limits--"Oz," "The Wire," "Lost," and "Fringe"--but brings out the humanity in this story about how an unlikely pair connects.